Abilify News

INDICATIONS AND USAGE

Schizophrenia

ABILIFY is indicated for the treatment of schizophrenia. The efficacy of ABILIFY was established in four 4-6 week trials in adults and one 6-week trial in adolescents (13 to 17 years). Maintenance efficacy was demonstrated in one trial in adults and can be extrapolated to adolescents.
[see CLINICAL STUDIES ]

Bipolar I Disorder

Acute Treatment of Manic and Mixed Episodes

ABILIFY is indicated for the acute treatment of manic and mixed episodes associated with bipolar I disorder, both as monotherapy and as an adjunct to lithium or valproate. Efficacy as monotherapy was established in four 3-week monotherapy trials in adults and one 4-week monotherapy trial in pediatric patients (10 to 17 years). Efficacy as adjunctive therapy was established in one 6-week adjunctive trial in adults.
[see CLINICAL STUDIES ]

Maintenance Treatment of Bipolar I Disorder

ABILIFY is indicated for the maintenance treatment of bipolar I disorder, both as monotherapy and as an adjunct to either lithium or valproate. Maintenance efficacy was demonstrated in one monotherapy maintenance trial and in one adjunctive maintenance trial in adults.
[see CLINICAL STUDIES ]

Adjunctive Treatment of Major Depressive Disorder

ABILIFY is indicated for use as an adjunctive therapy to antidepressants for the treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD). Efficacy was established in two 6-week trials in adults with MDD who had an inadequate response to antidepressant therapy during the current episode.
[see CLINICAL STUDIES ]

Agitation Associated with Schizophrenia or Bipolar Mania

ABILIFY Injection is indicated for the acute treatment of agitation associated with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder, manic or mixed. “Psychomotor agitation” is defined in DSM-IV as “excessive motor activity associated with a feeling of inner tension.” Patients experiencing agitation often manifest behaviors that interfere with their diagnosis and care (eg, threatening behaviors, escalating or urgently distressing behavior, or self-exhausting behavior), leading clinicians to the use of intramuscular antipsychotic medications to achieve immediate control of the agitation. Efficacy was established in three short-term (24-hour) trials in adults.
[see CLINICAL STUDIES ]

Special Considerations in Treating Pediatric Schizophrenia, Bipolar I Disorder, and Irritability Associated with Autistic Disorder

Psychiatric disorders in children and adolescents are often serious mental disorders with variable symptom profiles that are not always congruent with adult diagnostic criteria. It is recommended that psychotropic medication therapy for pediatric patients only be initiated after a thorough diagnostic evaluation has been conducted and careful consideration given to the risks associated with medication treatment. Medication treatment for pediatric patients with schizophrenia, bipolar I disorder, and irritability associated with autistic disorder is indicated as part of a total treatment program that often includes psychological, educational, and social interventions.

DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION

Schizophrenia

Adults

Dose Selection: The recommended starting and target dose for ABILIFY is 10 mg/day or 15 mg/day administered on a once-a-day schedule without regard to meals. ABILIFY has been systematically evaluated and shown to be effective in a dose range of 10 mg/day to 30 mg/day, when administered as the tablet formulation; however, doses higher than 10 mg/day or 15 mg/day were not more effective than 10 mg/day or 15 mg/day. Dosage increases should generally not be made before 2 weeks, the time needed to achieve steady-state.
[see CLINICAL STUDIES ]

Maintenance Treatment: Maintenance of efficacy in schizophrenia was demonstrated in a trial involving patients with schizophrenia who had been symptomatically stable on other antipsychotic medications for periods of 3 months or longer. These patients were discontinued from those medications and randomized to either ABILIFY 15 mg/day or placebo, and observed for relapse. Patients should be periodically reassessed to determine the continued need for maintenance treatment.
[see CLINICAL STUDIES ]

Adolescents

Dose Selection: The recommended target dose of ABILIFY is 10 mg/day. Aripiprazole was studied in adolescent patients 13 to 17 years of age with schizophrenia at daily doses of 10 mg and 30 mg. The starting daily dose of the tablet formulation in these patients was 2 mg, which was titrated to 5 mg after 2 days and to the target dose of 10 mg after 2 additional days. Subsequent dose increases should be administered in 5 mg increments. The 30 mg/day dose was not shown to be more efficacious than the 10 mg/day dose. ABILIFY can be administered without regard to meals.
[see CLINICAL STUDIES ]

Maintenance Treatment: The efficacy of ABILIFY for the maintenance treatment of schizophrenia in the adolescent population has not been evaluated. While there is no body of evidence available to answer the question of how long the adolescent patient treated with ABILIFY should be maintained on the drug, maintenance efficacy can be extrapolated from adult data along with comparisons of aripiprazole pharmacokinetic parameters in adult and pediatric patients. Thus, it is generally recommended that responding patients be continued beyond the acute response, but at the lowest dose needed to maintain remission. Patients should be periodically reassessed to determine the need for maintenance treatment.

Switching from Other Antipsychotics

There are no systematically collected data to specifically address switching patients with schizophrenia from other antipsychotics to ABILIFY or concerning concomitant administration with other antipsychotics. While immediate discontinuation of the previous antipsychotic treatment may be acceptable for some patients with schizophrenia, more gradual discontinuation may be most appropriate for others. In all cases, the period of overlapping antipsychotic administration should be minimized.

Bipolar I Disorder

Acute Treatment of Manic and Mixed Episodes

Adults: The recommended starting dose in adults is 15 mg given once daily as monotherapy and 10 mg to 15 mg given once daily as adjunctive therapy with lithium or valproate. ABILIFY can be given without regard to meals. The recommended target dose of ABILIFY is 15 mg/day, as monotherapy or as adjunctive therapy with lithium or valproate. The dose may be increased to 30 mg/day based on clinical response. The safety of doses above 30 mg/day has not been evaluated in clinical trials.

Pediatrics: The recommended starting dose in pediatric patients (10 to 17 years) as monotherapy is 2 mg/day, with titration to 5 mg/day after 2 days, and a target dose of 10 mg/day after 2 additional days. Recommended dosing as adjunctive therapy to lithium or valproate is the same. Subsequent dose increases, if needed, should be administered in 5 mg/day increments. ABILIFY can be given without regard to meals.
[see CLINICAL STUDIES ]

Maintenance Treatment

The recommended dose for maintenance treatment, whether as monotherapy or as adjunctive therapy, is the same dose needed to stabilize patients during acute treatment, both for adult and pediatric patients. Patients should be periodically reassessed to determine the continued need for maintenance treatment
[see CLINICAL STUDIES ].

Adjunctive Treatment of Major Depressive Disorder

Adults

Dose Selection: The recommended starting dose for ABILIFY as adjunctive treatment for patients already taking an antidepressant is 2 mg/day to 5 mg/day. The efficacy of ABILIFY as an adjunctive therapy for major depressive disorder was established within a dose range of 2 mg/day to 15 mg/day. Dose adjustments of up to 5 mg/day should occur gradually, at intervals of no less than 1 week.
[see CLINICAL STUDIES ]

Maintenance Treatment: The efficacy of ABILIFY for the adjunctive maintenance treatment of major depressive disorder has not been evaluated. While there is no body of evidence available to answer the question of how long the patient treated with ABILIFY should be maintained, patients should be periodically reassessed to determine the continued need for maintenance treatment.

Irritability Associated with Autistic Disorder

Pediatric Patients

Dose Selection: The efficacy of aripiprazole has been established in the treatment of pediatric patients 6 to 17 years of age with irritability associated with autistic disorder at doses of 5 mg/day to 15 mg/day. The dosage of ABILIFY should be individualized according to tolerability and response.

Dosing should be initiated at 2 mg/day. The dose should be increased to 5 mg/day, with subsequent increases to 10 mg/day or 15 mg/day if needed. Dose adjustments of up to 5 mg/day should occur gradually, at intervals of no less than 1 week.
[see CLINICAL STUDIES ]

.
Maintenance Treatment: In a clinical trial with ABILIFY conducted in children and adolescents (6 to 17 years of age), the efficacy of ABILIFY for the maintenance treatment of irritability associated with autistic disorder was not established [see Use in Specific Populations ]. Patients should be periodically reassessed to determine the continued need for maintenance treatment

Dose Selection: The recommended dose in these patients is 9.75 mg. The effectiveness of aripiprazole injection in controlling agitation in schizophrenia and bipolar mania was demonstrated over a dose range of 5.25 mg to 15 mg. No additional benefit was demonstrated for 15 mg compared to 9.75 mg. A lower dose of 5.25 mg may be considered when clinical factors warrant. If agitation warranting a second dose persists following the initial dose, cumulative doses up to a total of 30 mg/day may be given. However, the efficacy of repeated doses of aripiprazole injection in agitated patients has not been systematically evaluated in controlled clinical trials. The safety of total daily doses greater than 30 mg or injections given more frequently than every 2 hours have not been adequately evaluated in clinical trials.
[see CLINICAL STUDIES ]

If ongoing aripiprazole therapy is clinically indicated, oral aripiprazole in a range of 10 mg/day to 30 mg/day should replace aripiprazole injection as soon as possible.
[see DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION and ]
(2.1
2.2)

Administration of ABILIFY Injection

To administer ABILIFY Injection, draw up the required volume of solution into the syringe as shown in Table 1. Discard any unused portion.

Table 1: ABILIFY Injection Dosing Recommendations

Single-Dose

Required Volume of Solution

5.25 mg

0.7 mL

9.75 mg

1.3 mL

15 mg

2 mL

ABILIFY Injection is intended for intramuscular use only. Do not administer intravenously or subcutaneously. Inject slowly, deep into the muscle mass.

Parenteral drug products should be inspected visually for particulate matter and discoloration prior to administration, whenever solution and container permit.

Dosage Adjustment

Dosage adjustments in adults are not routinely indicated on the basis of age, gender, race, or renal or hepatic impairment status.
[see USE IN SPECIFIC POPULATIONS - ]
(8.4
8.10)

When concomitant administration of aripiprazole with strong CYP3A4 inhibitors such as ketoconazole or clarithromycin is indicated, the aripiprazole dose should be reduced to one-half of the usual dose. When the CYP3A4 inhibitor is withdrawn from the combination therapy, the aripiprazole dose should then be increased.
Dosage adjustment for patients taking aripiprazole concomitantly with strong CYP3A4 inhibitors:[see DRUG INTERACTIONS ]

When concomitant administration of potential CYP2D6 inhibitors such as quinidine, fluoxetine, or paroxetine with aripiprazole occurs, aripiprazole dose should be reduced at least to one-half of its normal dose. When the CYP2D6 inhibitor is withdrawn from the combination therapy, the aripiprazole dose should then be increased. When adjunctive ABILIFY is administered to patients with major depressive disorder, ABILIFY should be administered without dosage adjustment as specified in.
Dosage adjustment for patients taking aripiprazole concomitantly with potential CYP2D6 inhibitors:[see DRUG INTERACTIONS ]
DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION

When concomitant administration of aripiprazole with strong inhibitors of CYP3A4 (such as ketoconazole or clarithromycin) and CYP2D6 (such as quinidine, fluoxetine, or paroxetine) is indicated, the aripiprazole dose should be reduced to one-quarter (25%) of the usual dose. When the CYP3A4 and/or CYP2D6 inhibitor is withdrawn from the combination therapy, the aripiprazole dose should be increased
Dosing recommendation in patients taking aripiprazole concomitantly with strong CYP3A4 and CYP2D6 inhibitors:[see DRUG INTERACTIONS ].

Patients who may be receiving a combination of strong, moderate, and weak inhibitors of CYP3A4 and CYP2D6 (eg, a potent CYP3A4 inhibitor and a moderate CYP2D6 inhibitor or a moderate CYP3A4 inhibitor with a moderate CYP2D6 inhibitor), the dosing may be reduced to one-quarter (25%) of the usual dose initially and then adjusted to achieve a favorable clinical response.
Dosing recommendation in patients taking aripiprazole concomitantly with strong, moderate, or weak inhibitors of CYP3A4 and CYP2D6:

The aripiprazole dose in PM patients should initially be reduced to one-half (50%) of the usual dose and then adjusted to achieve a favorable clinical response. The dose of aripiprazole for PM patients who are administered a strong CYP3A4 inhibitor should be reduced to one-quarter (25%) of the usual dose.
Dosing recommendation in patients who are classified as CYP2D6 poor metabolizers (PM):[see CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY ]

When a potential CYP3A4 inducer such as carbamazepine is added to aripiprazole therapy, the aripiprazole dose should be doubled. Additional dose increases should be based on clinical evaluation. When the CYP3A4 inducer is withdrawn from the combination therapy, the aripiprazole dose should be reduced to 10 mg to 15 mg.
Dosage adjustment for patients taking potential CYP3A4 inducers:[see DRUG INTERACTIONS ]

Dosing of Oral Solution

The oral solution can be substituted for tablets on a mg-per-mg basis up to the 25 mg dose level. Patients receiving 30 mg tablets should receive 25 mg of the solution.
[see CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY ]

Dosing of Orally Disintegrating Tablets

The dosing for ABILIFY Orally Disintegrating Tablets is the same as for the oral tablets.
[see DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION, ,, and ]
(2.1
2.2
2.3
2.4)

DOSAGE FORMS AND STRENGTHS

ABILIFY (aripiprazole) Tablets are available as described in Table 2.
®

Table 2: ABILIFY Tablet Presentations

TabletStrength

TabletColor/Shape

TabletMarkings

2 mg

green modified rectangle

“A-006” and “2”

5 mg

blue modified rectangle

“A-007” and “5”

10 mg

pink modified rectangle

“A-008” and “10”

15 mg

yellow round

“A-009” and “15”

20 mg

white round

“A-010” and “20”

30 mg

pink round

“A-011” and “30”

ABILIFY DISCMELT (aripiprazole) Orally Disintegrating Tablets are available as described in Table 3.
®

Storage

Store at 25°C (77°F); excursions permitted between 15°C to 30°C (59°F to 86°F) [see USP Controlled Room Temperature]. Opened bottles of ABILIFY Oral Solution can be used for up to 6 months after opening, but not beyond the expiration date on the bottle. The bottle and its contents should be discarded after the expiration date.

Injection

Store at 25°C (77°F); excursions permitted between 15°C to 30°C (59°F to 86°F) [see USP Controlled Room Temperature]. Protect from light by storing in the original container. Retain in carton until time of use.